1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the invention generally relate to a remote computing environment and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for displaying status information associated with the presentation of an image at a remote computer.
2. Background
Existing computer and network infrastructure supports the remote display of graphic information in applications ranging from web browsing, video conferencing and media streaming to remote computing using communication protocols such as HTTP, Virtual Network Computing (VNC) and Remote Desktop Protocol.
In fact, recent user dependence on graphics information communicated from a non-local computer has spurred a need for methods of informing the user of the status of the communications between the computer serving the information and the local client computer system displaying the information.
As one example, MICROSOFT INTERNET EXPLORER comprises a page load status bar graph to inform a user of the projected time remaining before a web page upload has completed. As another example, SUN RAY, from Sun Microsystems, enables a Network Status Display initiated when a user presses a combination of keys at the remote terminal.
Some products notify the user when network performance drops below a defined threshold. For example, Hewlett Packard's Remote Graphics Software (RGS) for Workstations displays a connection warning to alert a user when the RGS network update rate falls below user defined response time to indicate possible stale display information.
As the user requirements for remote display systems gain sophistication, so the need for improved communication status indications increases.